The Unfaithful Servant

The Unfaithful (unprofitable) Servant
Matthew 25:14-30

One day the Lord Jesus was speaking to his disciples about the end of the world, and he spoke to them in parables.. that means that he told them stories about the kingdom of God by using people and things in this world. And this is one of the stories he told the disciples:

The kingdom of heaven is like a man who was going to travel to a far country and called his own servants, and gave them the things that he possessed. To one of them he gave five talents (a talent was a piece of money in those days) and to another he gave two, and to another he gave one, he gave to every man according to the abilities the man possessed, and right way the man left on his journey.

Then the servant who had received the five talents (five pieces of money) went and traded with that money, and made five talents more. And in the same way the servant that had received two talents, went and traded and received two more talents. But the servant that had received one talent went and dug in the ground and his his lord's money.

After a long time, the lord of those servants came to find out what his servants had done with the talents (money) he had given them.

And so the servant that had been given five talents came and brought the other five and said "Lord, you gave to me five talents: look, I have gained five more besides them" and his lord said to him "Well done, you good and faithful servant: you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: enter into the joy of your lord."

And the servant that had received two talents came and said "Lord, you gave to me two talents: look, I have gained two other talents besides them." And his lord said to him "well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: enter into the joy of your lord.

But the servant who had received the one talent came and said "Lord, I know you, that you are a hard man.....and I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the earth: there is the talent that is yours."

His lord answered and said to him, "You wicked and lazy servant......you should have put my money to someone who would have given you something of equal value, and then when I came I would have received my own money with interest. Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him that has ten talents. For to every one that has shall be given, and he shall have much more; but from him that has not shall be taken away even that which he has...... and there shall be much weeping.

Memory Verse: Matthew 25:21 "....well done, good and faithful servant: ....enter into the joy of your lord."

Questions:
1 why did the Lord Jesus tell stories using the people and things of this world?
2 who do you think the man who went to the far country was?
3 what do you think the talents represent besides money?
4 why do you think the lord was happy with the servant's who got even more money?
5 why do you think the lord was unhappy with the servant who buried his money?
6. what do you think this teaches us about our own lives?

Answers:
1 so his disciples could better understand them.
2 the Lord Jesus Christ after his resurrection
3 the Lord Jesus gives each of us who have trusted Him as Saviour various gifts to use to serve him.. like helping others, or telling people the gospel, or giving to others
4 because they used what they had been given to be able to give their lord even more when he returned...
5 because he didn't use the money for any useful purpose, he just hid what he had been given...
6. that we should use the gifts the Lord gives us as much as possible, so that when he returns he can say to us "well done, you good and faithful servant" we don't want the Lord to be disappointed in us because we never used the gifts he gave us, even if it was just one.

Vicki C. Gross/Sept.'04